Javy Baez, Anthony Rizzo win 2020 Gold Glove Awards |
CHICAGO – Chicago Cubs shortstop Javier Báez and first baseman Anthony Rizzo tonight were named National League Rawlings Gold Glove Award winners at their respective positions.
This is the first season the Cubs have had multiple Gold Glove Award winners since 2016 when Rizzo and right fielder Jason Heyward earned the honor. The Cubs have won a Gold Glove in five-straight seasons, as Heyward was a winner in 2016 and 2017 while Rizzo was previously honored in 2016 and 2018-19, also winning the Platinum Glove Award for the entire National League in 2016. This marks Báez’s first career Gold Glove Award. He is just the third Cubs shortstop to earn the honor, and the first since Don Kessinger earned the award in 1969-70. Along with Báez and Kessinger, Ernie Banks was honored with the Gold Glove at shortstop in 1960. Báez joins Cleveland’s Francisco Lindor as the only Puerto Rican-born players to win a Gold Glove at the shortstop position. Rizzo remains only the third first baseman in franchise history to earn this award, and all three Cubs awardees have won multiple Gold Gloves. Rizzo joins fellow four-time winner Mark Grace (1992-93, 1995-96) and Derrek Lee, a two-time winner (2005, 2007). The last time the Cubs were honored with a Gold Glove Award in at least five-consecutive campaigns was 1983-93 during an 11-year run in which second baseman Ryne Sandberg (1983-91), center fielder Bob Dernier (1984), catcher Jody Davis (1986), right fielder Andre Dawson (1987-88), pitcher Greg Maddux (1990-92) and first baseman Mark Grace (1992-93) earned the prestigious honor. The Cubs had five other Gold Glove finalists in 2020: Willson Contreras for catcher, Kyle Hendricks for pitcher, Heyward for right field, Nico Hoerner for second base and Alec Mills for pitcher. Congratulations to @javy23baez and @ARizzo44 on their 2020 #RawlingsGoldGloveAwards! pic.twitter.com/skLnxoj9LS
